5 summer transfer deals that are still in the balance

There’s less than 48 hours left…

With less than two full days left until the transfer window closes clubs are still hurriedly finalising their business. Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham are all expected to be active before 11pm on Thursday, but will they get their deals done in time?

There are still disputes to be resolved and contract situations to iron out, but something will have to give. The Coral News team looks at five deals that are still very much in the balance.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Arsenal do not want to play ball with Liverpool over Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The winger turned down a move to Chelsea this week with Anfield his preferred destination. The Gunners, however, do not want to sell to a Champions League rival.

It could leave the two clubs – and the player – at a stalemate. The 24-year-old does not hold the cards in this situation and it appears that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger could dig his heels in. Liverpool may be favourites for the Ox’s signature, but a deal still looks 50-50.

Danny Drinkwater

Danny Drinkwater has handed in a transfer request at Leicester City. That that doesn’t mean a switch to Chelsea is guaranteed, though. The Foxes have played tough with AS Roma over Riyad Mahrez all summer and could be prepared to do the same here.

Chelsea do not have a good record of getting deals over the line this summer. And that leaves Leicester with the upper hand. Drinkwater is contracted at the King Power until 2021. Only an enormous offer from the Premier League champions would tempt Leicester’s Thai owners into selling one of their prize assets.

Mamadou Sakho

Crystal Palace have already seen three bids rejected for their former loan star but look set to go back with a fourth. The Eagles are desperate to reinforce defensively and Liverpool ace Sakho is a player they already know.

The French international was a model of consistency last season as he helped the South Londoners avoid the drop. He’s now an unwanted man at Anfield and it looks as though Palace will get their man if they up their offer to £30m.

Virgil van Dijk

The longest running transfer saga of the summer is still without a resolution. Virgil van Dijk handed in a transfer request earlier this month but Southampton are still refusing to sell. Liverpool won’t go away though, and are still the favourites to land the Dutch centre-half.

Whether a deal can be struck remains to be seen. Chelsea and Arsenal also remain in the running, but if a move is to be made, Anfield will be VDV’s preferred destination. It’ll go down to the wire.

Serge Aurier

Delays regarding a work permit are still holding up Serge Aurier’s move to Tottenham. And while a £23m deal is believed to have been agreed with Paris Saint-German, Manchester United are not yet out of the running.

Aurier has openly courted the Reds and is good friends with United midfielder Paul Pogba. Spurs were pipped at the post by Chelsea when going for Willian in 2013. They could well be pipped again, albeit this time by the Red Devils.